Two Sisters, Three Choices
by LittleMewLugia
Summary: When two neutral sisters are separated in the early days of the conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons, what happens when they finally meet again, on opposite sides?
1. Chapter 1:Divergance

TWO SISTERS, THREE CHOICES.

CHAPTER ONE

DIVERGANCE

**RIAN**

Sunblazer was the older sibling of the two of us, constructed and Spark-imbued not too soon before I was. Headstrong and more impulsive than I, she was also more adventurous, took more risks, and was always a bit of a rebel.

Before the conflict began on Cybertron, this was not a huge problem, as in peacetime, going out about to do whatever you wanted to was safe enough. Of course, the troubles and conflicts began, society began to break down, which put a huge strain on our family unit.

When our parental units declared themselves neutral in the conflict, Sunblazer and I were still sub-adult, thus we were assigned our parental units neutral status.

In the conflicts and battles that followed, those who had chosen neutrality were not immune to destruction. They were caught up in the crossfire, for neutrality was no protection against stray bolts, mistaken identity, or trigger-happy combatants. Still, our parental units advocated and embraced pacific neutrality, although I was sure that Sunblazer, like I, was rooting for one particular side.

The arguments between Sunblazer and the parental units got worse as the conflicts escalated. Sunblazer wanted to go out, to go where and do what she pleased, as she had had the freedom to do earlier in life. Our parental units imposed limitations and rules, urging caution. They feared that the random conflicts that could seemingly arise out of nothing anywhere might sweep away our Sparks if we were unlucky enough to be in the vicinity.

Some of these arguments got very unpleasant, for Sunblazer had had a rebellious Spark from the moment she was imbued with it. The strength and ferocity with which it shone was, after all, why she had been named what she was.

Ironically, it was our cautious parental units whose Sparks were needlessly lost, caught up in a conflict they wanted no part of.

Although still not fully adult, Sunblazer and I had to make a decision of whether to take sides. We were separated soon after discovering the bodies of our parental units, cold and dark, their Sparks gone forever. I already knew which side I would take, and I knew Sunblazer would, like me, reject the pacific neutrality that had not saved our parental units.

I chose to throw my lot in with the Autobots, who believed in the right of all sentient beings to live their lives without interference, who wanted to rebuild our shattered world and live in peace again. I went and, when it was needed, fought with all the passion and belief my own Spark gave me, (for, although not as bright or fierce as Sunblazer's, it was by no means dull) for the ideals and cause of the Autobots. 

I waited a long time for Sunblazer to find us, hoping she still lived, until I came to believe that her continued disappearance meant that she had died.

Then one day, I did see her, and she was not dead. The reality was almost worse.

Sunblazer had become a Decepticon.

**SUNBLAZER**

From the start, I had been a rebel, someone who tended to go against the flow rather than with it. I had railed against my parental units neutrality while they still lived, and railed even more against it when their pacifism and non-involvement got them both killed.

Rian and I went looking for them when they didn't return when they said they would. We found their damaged shells. All the physical damage could have been repaired had someone got to them in time, but with the hospitals either overflowing or closed, nobody had been able to help them. They were gone, their Sparks snuffed out. 

The conflict was still ongoing, it had moved away, but for whatever reason,-maybe even because our presence attracted attention-it headed back our way. Dodging laser blasts and running for cover, Rian and I got separated.

Perhaps we would have met again that day if I had returned to our dwelling, but our family unit was gone, there was nothing for me there any more. What was the point? To sit there in the dwelling until the conflict reached us anyway? I did not intend to go the way of our parental units.

Like Rian, I had watched the battles between the two factions, but without really paying any attention to what each side stood for, except that the Autobots seemed to put their own Sparks at risk. They defended others, putting themselves in harm's way. I saw them as idealists, only one step removed from the neutrals. One day, their misguided ideals would get them destroyed.

I hadn't seen Rian since our separation, for all I knew she could have perished already. She was not as swift as I, maybe she had not escaped the conflict. It seemed I was the last of my family unit to survive. I was determined to preserve my own Spark, thus, although I knew little about them, I joined the side I thought most likely to get me through to the other side of this conflict with my own Spark intact, the Decepticons. That way, at least I would not necessarily die needlessly like the rest of my family.

By the time a few more of the Decepticon's methods and beliefs became clearer to me-and many of them were less than desirable-I was too deeply in to get back out. Anyway, even if I did get out, the only other two options-Autobots or Neutrals-could only, I thought, lead to my destruction. Add to that the fact that the Decepticons believed that "if you're not for us, you're against us", it seemed more prudent to keep my vocal processor off and put up with it. This was survival, and sometimes morals and personal comforts had to be temporarily put aside in the name of survival. Better to stay where I was then risk my Spark by deserting. 

As a sign of my alliance, the blue optics I was created with were removed and replaced with red ones, and the Decepticon's spiky symbol was etched on my right chest plate. Both things felt like a violation, but there was little else I could do.

I told myself that in time, I would get used to them.


	2. Chapter 2: A Reunion, Of Sorts

AUTHOR'S NOTES FOR CHAPTER TWO-The encounter with Ratchet is based on a piece of information I found on one of the collectible movie cards. It reads:

"The Autobot Ratchet is dedicated to saving life, **no matter what form it takes, and no matter whose it is.** Every Autobot has had his Spark preserved at least once by him, and **more than one Decepticon has opened his optical sensors after a mortal blow only to find Autobot Ratchet welding shut the final incision." Bold**My emphasis

-Transformers collectable movie card 11, "Ratchet"

CHAPTER TWO

A REUNION, OF SORTS.

**RIAN**

I quickly ended up, due to my relative youth, and my enthusiasm, with a new, affectionate diminutive added to my name. 'Rian' became 'Rianbot.' Not in battle or in an emergency, of course, in that situation my short name was an advantage, but in less stressful situations. It took some getting used to at first, but it wasn't an issue with me.

When I saw Sunblazer again, it was after we had left Cybertron, and we had landed for refuelling and reconnoitring on a planet I no longer recall the name of. It was rich in resources, and supported a population of sentient organic creatures whose civilisation was pre-industrial.

The Decepticons had found it first, and maybe if we had not been low on resources ourselves, we would have bypassed it, for whenever our sides clashed on a world with life, that life invariably suffered from our conflict. But we had little choice so we landed to resupply on the one continent that could support life and had the most resources.

We had several skirmishes with the Decepticons, and it was during one of these that I saw my sibling for the first time since our parting.

**SUNBLAZER**

It became apparent early on that my name would not all stay the course. Three syllables in a skirmish or tight situation was a luxury I could not afford. My name quickly became contracted to Blazer-and my ferocity in battle, coupled with my speed, made most forget that it was that way for convenience alone.

It was, of course, the Autobots we were fighting, even after we left ruined Cybertron. To my surprise, they did not get quickly exterminated as I thought they would, despite the fact that they still defended others, particularly the small organics we frequently ran into on other planets. We had no time for them, and although I did not take pleasure in using excessive force on them as some of the others did, I did tend to knock them aside to get them out of my way. Sometimes I had to shoot one or two, but always on a low setting, so they could self-repair. What was the point of destroying them? They were not our enemies.

Sometimes we won, sometimes we lost, forced to retreat, taking our wounded with us, if possible, for repairs while we regrouped. Rare although it was, both sides did lose members, the damage too severe or left too long before repair.

There were several situations I had heard of where injured members we had been forced to leave behind came back to us with their injuries repaired. It seemed that one of the Autobots, a medic called Ratchet, had been known-to the individuals' confusion-to treat Decepticon casualties as well as those of his own side. It seemed he believed that every Spark deserved a chance to be saved, regardless of its owner's affiliation. However, I digress.

In one particular battle, we were trying to press on to a rich deposit of the resources we needed. The Autobots had also discovered it, and were determined not to give it up.

I fought with the same ferocity and drive in this battle as in any other, in the manner that had made most who knew me forget that the "Sun" part of my name had ever existed. I fought my way forwards, striking out or firing at any Autobot that came within range, relying on my speed rather than my light armouring to protect me, although in a battle this big, I was getting hit, of course.

I was still quite cocky and believing in my almost invulnerability of my youth, not really noticing the toll all this was taking on my armour. As I whirled, shot, and struck out, my personal motto-"attack before they can attack you!"-rang in my head. I took another shot to my armour, knocking me forwards. When I raised my head to find my assailant, there was no sign, so I turned, just looking to take it out on whatever Autobot I next got in my sights.

There! A blur of red and silver. I raised my optics to get the dodging Autobot in my sights, only to find that I knew this Autobot better than I knew some of my Decepticon comrades. Someone I had given up as dead.

"Rian…" I breathed in disbelief.

**RIAN**

She had had the blue optics she had been born with exchanged for the red ones that the Decepticons favoured, which altered her features in quite a scary way, but as she raised her optics to look at me, I knew it was my sibling Sunblazer, whom I had not seen since the night we found our parental units bodies.

An odd feeling washed down my circuitry, as if someone had poured liquid nitrogen in my body cavity.

My sibling was a Decepticon?

I had seen her fighting not two minutes earlier, dealing our forces some pretty serious punishment, seeming to hardly feel the retaliatory shots that others fired to divert her attention and distract her. However, I could see rents and fissures in her armour, knew the damage was more severe than she was letting on. This was just like the Sunblazer of old, in the happier times before the conflict, bearing scrapes and even fairly serious injuries,-received when she took a risk or gamble that failed- with barely a sound.

I knew not what was driving her to fight the way she did, but driven she was, with a ferocity that was frightening to witness, but with an apparent disregard for the safety of her own Spark. Yes, Sunblazer was a risk-taker, but if she carried on like this, she would soon take one risk too many, and that bright Spark of hers would be extinguished.

As I mentioned before, it was only when she looked at me that I recognised her, and as our optics locked, I could see that she recognised me too. I could not hear if she actually spoke over the sound of battle, but she definitely mouthed my name. I knew I had to keep moving, this was no time to stand and stare at the sibling I had reluctantly assumed had perished. Dodging and moving forwards, I watched as she did the precise thing I had avoided doing, the worst possible thing to do in a combat situation when facing enemy troops…..

**SUNBLAZER**

…I froze.

Not the healthiest thing to do in a combat situation, but it happened. My younger sibling wasn't dead, but had joined the side I was fighting against. Trust Rian. She was notoriously softly armoured around her Spark, emotionally speaking. I should have forseen this possibility. Now we were enemy soldiers facing each other across a battlefield. She was my sibling, and that tie was stronger than my loyalty to a faction I had joined up with before realising what they were about. Even if the shock had not made me freeze, I would not have raised my weapon.

As I felt two more weapons impacts hit my armour, I realised too late that I was, for once, a stationary target. One of the impacts holed my armour, already weakened in combat, and I staggered, turning to return a shot.

I never set optics on whoever dealt the final blow, but land it they did. I can only say that I know it was not Rian.

The shot caught me on the side, on the site of an earlier hole. I felt my Spark flicker, felt pain, felt myself fall.

Then felt no more.

**RIAN**

I didn't notice who felled Sunblazer, but I didn't have time to worry about her, as the Decepticons, in response, renewed their attack. I was too concerned about defending my own Spark at that moment to worry about Sunblazer's.

We pressed forwards, determined to gain some ground, and although it was a close thing, eventually the Decepticons beat a retreat, taking what wounded of theirs that they could with them, scurrying, rolling, or flying away.

Sunblazer was not amongst the wounded that they took. Our forces had pushed forwards by several metres, and Sunblazer was now on our side of the battle lines. To retrieve her, they would have had to fight through several Autobots to get to her. Obviously, she wasn't important enough to them to be worth the effort.

As the last of the Decepticons fled, I went over to my sibling, crouching by her inert form. She lay where she had fallen, face-down in the mud. I put my hand on her shoulder and called "Sunblazer?" There was no response, not even a twitch or a groan, to either my touch or my voice.

I rolled her over so that she was face-up. Her armoured 'skin' was already beginning to self-repair, however this was normal. Even detached limbs still self-repaired the armoured skin, so this was not indicative of whether Sunblazer still lived, and Sunblazer's eyes were dark.

Fearing the worst, I gently pushed aside her chest plates, enough to see that her Spark, although dimmed, had not been extinguished.

"I can repair the worst of the damage. Move aside." came a calm, measured voice. I felt a hand firmly but gently move me aside, and then Medic Ratchet bent down by Sunblazer, and got to work.

"If anyone can help her, it's Ratchet." said another nearby Autobot whose name had escaped me. "We should go."

"But-should we not wait and see?" I asked.

"Best not to." Said my new friend. "If she's still in a belligerent mood once he's fixed her, it is best if only Ratchet has to escape from her." He turned me around, and we began to walk away. "If anything can be done for her, Ratchet will do it. If he can't, then her Spark is not meant to survive."

We walked away, but I could not resist one last look back as Ratchet worked on trying to save my sibling's Spark.


	3. Chapter 3: Sunblazer's Doubts

CHAPTER THREE

SUNBLAZER'S DOUBTS

**SUNBLAZER**

Awareness, and pain, returned to me slowly. After thathit, I had not expected to be aware of anything again. I was very sore, and not sure how much of my body still functioned.

Trying to find the latter out, I tensed my legs (only one worked) and my arms, pushing myself to a sitting position.

Or rather, trying to: I felt a hand push down on my chest, shoving me gently but firmly back to a prone position, and a voice say "Stop wriggling! I'm trying to fix you!"

I opened my optics to view the speaker, for I did not recognise the voice. The Decepticon equivalent of a medic had a very different voice (although a similarly brusque bedside manner) and it wasn't him.

Straddling my non-functional leg, working on it to repair whatever damage had been done to it, was the Autobot medic, Ratchet. As I have mentioned earlier, he was known in the field to show no discrimination to whom he patched up, no matter which faction they belonged to. Had I not met other Decepticons who had been the subject of his ministrations, I would have dismissed these reports as tall tales. Yet here he was, living proof of his unbiased attentions. However, I had also heard that in battle, Ratchet could be as ruthless then as he was now being caring.

'_Does he end up fixing those he himself damages?'_ I wondered, as I lay there and let him get on with whatever he was doing to my leg. _'He probably does, as it happens.'_ I thought.

"I don't remember a bad hit to my leg. How did it get damaged?" I asked.

"One of the strikes to your side travelled down the leg, blowing everything as it went through." He said.

He finished up, welding shut the hole he had used to gain entry to my leg's innards. He put away his cutting and welding tools, and stood. I could now feel and move the leg, but not yet put weight on it.

"It will take some minutes for some of my treatments to take effect before your leg is strong enough to stand and walk on." he said, as if reading my mind. "The best advice I can give you is to make sure nothing like that happens again. However, we are fighting a war, so I know my advice will go unheeded."

"Thank you." I said. "You are no enemy of mine."

Ratchet almost smiled. "You are welcome." He said "and I only see your last comment lasting until the next battle." He walked away, leaving me totally confused, and starting to question my motivations and beliefs.

**RIAN**

Our group leader, Jazz, came over and sat down opposite me. He waved to get my attention, and then got straight to the point.

"Okay, so what's the story about that Decepticon? Why are you so concerned about her welfare? That's not a criticism." he added.

My companion of earlier must have reported the tale of my sibling's injury to Jazz, and my subsequent reaction.

"That was Sunblazer, my older sibling." I said. "Until today, I thought her dead. I don't understand why she joined up with the Decepticons." I shivered as I recalled the moment I had realised that the red-eyed Fury that I was facing was actually my sibling. "What could she have been thinking of?"

"Knowing what goes on in the processor clusters of a Decepticon is difficult at the best of times." Jazz said. "Who knows what the loss of her parental units did to her? After all, you joined us, in spite of your parent's pacific beliefs."

"She had lost me too. Maybe she just felt alone, or couldn't find anyone else, or was coerced." I said.

"Or maybe she reached a different conclusion to that which you did." Jazz said. "Just because you are siblings doesn't mean you think alike. Were you close?"

"Close enough." I said. "Close enough to share secrets and do things together. Oh, we had our arguments, but who doesn't? Until today, I thought she was dead, except-that after that attack, she might be. Have I just found my sibling only to lose her again?"

"You have not." Said a voice from the doorway. Jazz and I turned our heads, to see Ratchet standing in the doorway. He walked over.

"For a Decepticon, she was oddly grateful." He said.

"She has only been a Decepticon for the same amount of time that I have been an Autobot." I said, moved to defend my sister from what seemed to be an implied criticism.

"No offence intended." Ratchet said. "She's your older sibling, is she not?"

I nodded.

"How much older than you is she? Is the age gap big?" Ratchet asked.

"Not at all." I said, puzzled. "In fact, I was created and imbued not very long after she was." I said. I explained about how and when our parental units were killed, and our subsequent separation until that day.

"Then she, like you, is still very young, Rianbot." Ratchet observed. "That would explain why she is still so flexible of mind. That is why she expressed gratitude. In a few thousand years, hardened by war, she will have lost that."

**SUNBLAZER**

By the time my leg was strong enough to walk on, Ratchet was gone. I picked myself up from the dirt, and checked myself over.

Several injuries, that must have been deep holes, had been welded shut. Tingling beneath told me that some deeper structure was undergoing some minor self-repair. Once again, the mended holes must have been Ratchet's doing, and I realised that without that Autobot's intervention, that battle may have been my last. I had been fortunate that he had been there.

I slowly wandered back to our base, mulling things over in my processors. I was challenged, of course, on my return, for all had seen me fall. "How come you're back and walking, when we all saw you collapse?" I was asked.

"Ratchet was there." I replied, showing them the welded injuries. They relaxed then, and after checking me for bugs (and finding me clean) they let me go on.

Thinking about things was all I did for a bit. I had still found no motivation strong enough for me to risk my Spark by defecting.

Then, one day, we became involved in the battle that changed everything for me.


	4. Chapter 4: The Decisive Battle

CHAPTER FOUR

THE DECISIVE BATTLE

**SUNBLAZER**

It dawned, like many other days-sunny, some cloud in the sky, with a breeze. We were heading to deal with a small Autobot force which lay between us and easier access to another pocket of the resources we needed by ground.

Also between it and us, nestled in the pass between two areas of high ground, was a native settlement. Although they were pre-industrial, this settlement filled the pass, with just a few native-sized paths up through to the other side. The only way through, other than through the settlement was by air, or by going around the mountains, which would take a week longer.

More than half of us had vehicular forms unsuitable for atmospheric air travel. For those who did, they would have to take those of us who did not in two waves. That would mean splitting our forces up to three ways-first wave of transportees, second wave of transportees, and those doing the transporting. This was too risky, leaving the first wave of transportees to guard the other side while picking up the second wave, when there were Autobot forces so close, who might take advantage of a drop in numbers to attack.

Neither were our commanders willing to delay by a week, so it was decided-we would go through. After all, the natives were pre-industrial. What risk could they be to us? Those of us with atmospheric ariel forms would fly, while the rest of us would move through the settlement on the ground.

This was the sort of mission I hated-where organic beings would get in the way. I only used necessary force to move them, the sort of force that would stun or disorient an enemy, to get them out of our way, but others of the group had no compunction about using what I felt was unnecessary force.

As usual, the natives, much smaller than most of us, were terrified, fleeing into their dwellings or running through the streets in fear. As they did, the usual happened. Some of our forces began casually using them as target practice.

As always, the loss of organic life and the waste of precious energy and resources in causing needless pain and death disgusted me, but I had learned the hard way early on not to criticise, particularly not to criticise those either older than me or those who ranked me. Since I was both young and low in the hierarchy, that included almost everyone else in the Decepticon forces, So I just kept my vocal processor quiet and my thoughts to myself.

We were surprised about halfway through by Autobot forces. Although I did not realise it at the time, they had come to defend the natives from my trigger-happy comrades. Their wasteful practice had precipitated this attack.

I don't think the Autobots realised what a huge mistake this was until they realised we were doing more damage to the city by fighting within it. By the time they realised, they tried to draw us out of the city, but our commanders refused to move.

For my part, the moment we were attacked, I swung into action with my usual ferocity, fed by a fear of being vulnerable, although I was more cautious about being hit; the battle where Ratchet had patched me up had made me more wary of getting that badly hurt again. I was lucky he was there that time: next time I might not be so fortunate.

Unfortunately, in the middle of a settlement, and too often unable to watch where my feet landed, native casualties were incurred. This had happened in other battles, usually when a few natives were n the wrong place at the wrong time-regrettable, but there would always be collateral damage when there was a war in progress.

This, however, was in a built-up area, with a greater concentration of natives, so the casualties were many, many more than anything else I had seen. It was at this point that the Autobots tried to draw us away, to a less populous location to continue our battle, but our commanders, realising what they were trying to do and not caring a bit, deliberately refused to move.

Too often, as I shot at or dodged a shot, I felt something organic under my feet break-or worse, squelch. I could not spare the time to look (and am now very glad I did not) but at times, the ground underfoot was either slippery or sticky, for many of the organic life forms were leaking.

Also, far too often, the organic's dwellings got bashed into, shot at, blundered into, or trodden on in the melee. The beings trapped within were screaming, whimpering and crying out, and although I could not turn off my audio processors-because they could help me anticipate an attack, Ihad to tune out their cries.

As I dodged and blasted my way through the city, I was not immune to being shot myself, and one Autobot got a lucky shot in. Ratchet's welds held as the shot hammered into my side-Ratchet knew how to make a weld strong-but it was a powerful enough blast to knock me over.

As I fell, one of the small humanoid natives hurried to get out of the way of my falling bulk, but tripped and fell directly under my landing spot. Luckily for it, one of my arms got trapped beneath me, so that instead of being squashed or smashed, it got trapped between my chest plates and the ground.

I was about to get up, find out which Autobot had fired that blast, and return the favour tenfold, when I felt something shuddering against my chest plate.

It was the native, shaking and whimpering beneath me. I had heard that some organic beings sometimes reacted in this way to extreme cold, or extreme fear. The temperature did not seem extreme, and none of the other natives had shuddered like this before our advance, so the shaking and whimpering must have been a fear reaction. The little organic must have been absolutely terrified.

I cannot, even now, describe the wash of feelings-some I had not had since childhood, some I had never had, some I had never had in this form before-that flooded me at that moment.

Shame. Fear-for the little life cowering against me. An urge to protect it, to fight for it, if necessary, to risk my Spark to keep it safe. This tiny being, if I were to rise and fight again, would be in danger of being shot, trampled, swept aside, injured, or killed. So, I stayed where I was, as though the shot had done me more damage than it had, to protect and shelter the little native. I could always say my leg had given way again, as a result of the earlier damage. A smear on Ratchet's reputation, maybe, but what price this native's life?

Although in the position I was in-face down and prone-I could not see what was going on, I could hear, and by the sounds of it, the Autobots were winning. For once I was pleased that it was the Autobots claiming victory; glad that I could hear the call for the Decepticons to fall back, and them doing so. Even after the sounds faced into the distance, to be absolutely certain, I stayed where I was for some time, to be sure they were gone, so the native would be safe. Then I levered myself up far enough to release the native from under my chest plates. The native shot off, without a backwards glance.

At that point, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and a voice say "Not _you _again!I don't know why I bother when you just get shot up again. Carry on like this, and you'll get terminated for sure!"

As Ratchet tried to turn me, I rolled too, assisting him. I think it was then that he realised I was not severely damaged, for he stepped back, and within moments had activated his lethal-looking rotating saw blade.

It took me just a few seconds to realise that he thought I was trying to ambush him. Still lying on my back and putting my hands up at my chest level, palms out, I forced my voice to be calm as I said "I told you last time. I am not your enemy. Feel free to scan me, my arm lasers are powered down. I mean you no harm." He turned his saw off, but still watched me warily as I rose.

"A native got trapped beneath me. I did not want to rise while the battle was still going on." I explained. "I didn't want it to get hurt. It went off that…." As I pointed and looked over at the direction the little native had fled in, the rest of my words died in my throat and my optics widened as I took in the scene in front of me.

The settlement was almost totally destroyed. Dwellings and meeting places were flattened, had roofs missing, or caved in, or walls destroyed. From within some of these rubble piles, faint cries could be heard. Fires burned here and there, and the bodies of natives lay scattered about like leaves. The bodies were all lots of different sizes, I noticed-and some of them were much smaller than others.

Many of them had leaked-red fluid ran down streets or congealed stickily in pools, or was splattered over the walls of the dwellings. Too much of that same red stuff, now getting sticky, was on my own feet.

Carefully, I approached one of the prone natives, as Ratchet watched. I poked it with my smallest digit, and when that got no response, I carefully picked it up. It flopped brokenly in my hands, and it, too was splattered with its own leaked red fluid. I approached Ratchet, holding the native out to him.

"It's been leaking, and it seems to be broken, too. Will you fix it? Please?" I asked. I carefully handed the floppy, flaccid body to Ratchet, who cradled it equally gently in his hands. He lifted it close to his optics, scanned it briefly, but then shook his head. I was bewildered.

"But you helped _me_, and I'm a Decepticon, an enemy of you Autobots. What have these natives done that is so bad that you won't treat them when they need repair?" Ratchet blinked in surprise. Then he shook his head again, and the bleak gaze he gave me chilled me.

"It is not that I _will not_ treat this being, it is that I _cannot_." he said.

"But-I was seriously injured, without you I probably would have lost my Spark. You mended me, you've healed others, you can fix _anyone_!" I protested. Ratchet sighed.

"Cybertronians, yes, I agree. If I cannot fix them, then it is likely that nobody can." Ratchet replied. "Organic units are different, very different from our form of life. Organic life forms are far more fragile than our own, far less resilient, more prone to damage, and do not self-repair in the same way. Minor injuries and some major injuries, yes, they self-repair, but in the time it takes to do so, their injuries can kill them. When they leak, that too can kill them. A blow we would hardly feel can kill them." He demonstrated by giving me a light slap on the arm. "That is like a play blow to you, but that amount of force will damage them so badly they will die, even if it does not kill them outright."

"That-would _kill_ them?" I said in horror, thinking of all the times I had slapped organics aside harder than that, thinking that they would self-repair and be okay.

"Yes. They break so easily, and when organic forms break or leak as much as they have here, they die. They cannot be recovered or refilled and reanimated. Injuries we would take for granted, that we accept as minor hazards of the way we live, would kill them." He lifted the native he was holding in one of his hands.

"I cannot help this one because he is dead. So are most of those others, but I must help. I wish I could help those trapped, but we are so large that we would kill more than we would save if we tried to get them out. We must leave the excavation to their own kind."  
He put down the native I had handed him, and moved out, checking the other bodies for signs of life, leaving me speechless.

My processors were almost overloading. What Ratchet had told me indicated one thing: all those organic beings that I and other Decepticons had brushed aside as mere irritations were more than likely dead. I had assumed that most of them had self repaired and got on with their lives, but if what Ratchet said was true…then most of them were dead. I recalled how light a tap Ratchet had demonstrated could kill these creatures, and winced as I compared the harder blows I had dealt to scatter and clear organics in the past. If what Ratchet said was true, the chance of any of them surviving was very slim.

So what kind of monster did that make me?

I had participated unknowingly in the wholesale slaughter of innocent beings.

I moved out silently behind Ratchet, helping him scan the prone natives, and sorting the living from the dead. I caught Ratchet's optic every time I found a live one, handing them to him.

They were distressingly few.

Ratchet repaired those that he could, and left them-and those who would, with time, self-repair in their slow, organic way-where their fellows would find them. Then he left, with no further acknowledgement of my presence. Presumably, he was heading for the Autobot base.

I would be expected to return to the Decepticon base, but did not want to. Those few questions I had been asking myself after being fixed by Ratchet in the earlier battle were raised again, along with a whole bunch of others.

I re-examined my opinions, factoring in the fact that the Autobots tried to protect others from the effects of our conflict not because they were idealists, but because they realised how fragile other forms of life-or the organic ones at any rate-were. I had not known this, and in my ignorance, I must have killed hundreds. Shame and guilt overcame me, along with a realisation.

I had joined the wrong side.


	5. Chapter 5: Defection

CHAPTER FIVE

  
DEFECTION

**SUNBLAZER**

I no longer wished to be part of the Decepticon forces, killing without care, for nothing more than power and a long-standing grudge. I was certain that most of the other Decepticons had no illusions about the fragility of organic creatures. Even if they did, a lot of them knew how much unnecessary force to use to destroy them, for I had seen some of them do just that, when there was no doubt that they were dead after their assault.

However, I realised, I could not just go off and join the Autobots either. There was no way they could take the risk. I could be a plant, a spy, or a saboteur. They would have no way of knowing my regret was genuine. They would be unable to accept me because there was no way they could trust me.

Ironically, the only option that appeared to be open to me was the one I had originally scorned: neutrality. However, I would not cower and stay hidden in mine; I would try to help keep casualties down in the battles, and help the natives in my own way. At this point, there was only one thing I could do to help, and that was to tell the Autobots what little I knew of planned Decepticon movements. I knew the general direction they planned to move in, and what they wanted there. The rest would be up to the Autobots. Perhaps my knowledge could save some lives, limited though it was.

I didn't care any more that the Decepticons would see my defection as a betrayal, let alone giving the Autobots this knowledge: I wanted nothing more to do with the Decepticons. The realisation about organic beings had pushed me to make this choice. I was seen as a risk-taker, After all, this was just another risk. A big one, admittedly, but maybe I could find a way to turn the odds in my favour.

I turned in the direction Ratchet had gone in, copying what I knew onto a data chip. It took me a while to find it, because it was, of course, well hidden, but soon enough, I was headed for the perimeter of the Autobot's temporary base on this world.

**RIAN**

"Alert! Decepticon at the gates!" the cry went up. One of the other younger Autobots was the one raising the alarm, running in.

The cry roused me from my own thoughts, not that I'd had a lot of time to devote to idle thought. Between the battles, and the preparations for Leader Prime's arrival (to raise morale and share intel), time to myself was a rare luxury.

Ratchet had met my sibling again, after the last engagement. He had thought she'd been damaged again, but it turned out she had feigned damage in order to protect an organic she'd been sheltering with her body. He said she had seemed distressed when she had finally realised just how fragile their kind were, and he had some hope that she might come to her senses. If so, perhaps she could be captured-for rescue purposes-in a future engagement. However, we would have to wait a time to see if anything she said and did indicated a desire to change sides. I earnestly hoped this would be the case, but for now, with this alert, I had to push these thoughts to the back of my processors, for there was a potential threat outside.

Powering up my arm lasers, I ran to the entrance with some of the others. I was joined along the way by Bumblebee, the smallest of our little band. He too was powering up his in-built weapons, but also getting his scanning technology on-line. Together, we approached the entrance, ready to repel one or more invaders. At first a bigger and more heavily-armoured Autobot held us back, cautioning us about putting ourselves in danger, but then another said "I think Rian should be allowed to approach. I believe it's that sibling of hers." The arm holding us back was lowered, and I moved to the front of the group, with Bumblebee right behind me.

The caution had been totally unnecessary, for the dejected-looking figure standing some distance back, head bowed and no weapons showing, was not looking to cause trouble.

It _was_ Sunblazer.

She showed signs of the recent skirmish-her bodywork was still in the process of self-repairing, with a few smoothing-out dents and scratches, and organic blood was congealed on her feet and up her lower legs. She was looking with trepidation at the assembled 'bots.

I stepped forward slowly, calling "Sunblazer?" to catch her attention. Upon spotting me, it seemed to give her the courage to speak out.

"I want to speak to the silver Autobot who leads your forces. And Ratchet." she said, then, realising it sounded like an order, she added "Please." She looked at the growing assortment of 'bots as Bumblebee went to fetch Jazz and Ratchet.

"I mean you no harm." She said. "You can see my weapons are hidden and powered down." The two Autobots who had been surreptitiously scanning her both nodded: she was speaking the truth.

At that moment, Bumblebee returned, leading both Jazz and Ratchet to the front with me.

"You wanted to speak with us?" Jazz asked. Sunblazer nodded. Slowly, she raised one of her arms, and two of the guards immediately trained their cannons on her, then lowered them as they realised it was for the purpose of displaying what she held in her fingers; a data chip.

"Yes please. I came to give you this." I had never seen Sunblazer so meek with anyone before. She lowered the hand a little, and then threw the data chip. Her aim was true; it landed a few inches from Jazz's left foot. Jazz picked it up and handed it to Bumblebee without taking his eyes off Sunblazer.

"I don't know a lot, but maybe the little I know, shared with you, may help you to save lives." Sunblazer said. "I've come to tell you that I will personally never trouble you again. I've realised that I joined the wrong side. I made a mistake. I don't want to be a Decepticon any more. The senseless waste of life…." She tailed off. "From now on, I'm neutral." She said.

Bumblebee, who had scanned the chip, communicated va a databurst to Jazz, who said "Bumblebee said that some of this is consistent with our own intel." He told him. Jazz turned towards Sunblazer.

"We need to discuss this with our leader, Optimus Prime. He is expected very soon. You come with us and we'll arrange for you to expain all this to him yourself-"

He never finished his sentence, for Sunblazer just cried "_**NO!"**_ and before anyone could react, was running as fast as she could, away from the base.

"Should I pursue?" asked a guard. Jazz shook his head.

"No, there is no need. I thought it might be of benefit to her more than us, but if she does not want to, she does not have to."

"What an odd reaction." communicated Bumblebee. Despite having no functioning vocal processor, he had utilised other communication methods to make his opinions and ideas heard. "We would never harm her, surely she realises that. So why did she run?"

Everybody, I realised, was looking at me for the answer, and for once, I had it. I knew my sibling, and knew what sort of emotion would provoke her shout-and-run reaction. It was nothing to do with fear.

"Sunblazer didn't run because she was scared." I said "She ran because she's ashamed of herself. She's too ashamed to look Leader Prime in the face."

**SUNBLAZER**

As I fled the Autobot base, my memory processors were trying to work out where I would go and what I would do next. I needed a base- a cave, perhaps, or an overhang, the more well-hidden (and the further from the area of influence of either faction) the better. However, I had more immediate concerns, and was glad to spot a stream ahead.

Splashing into it, I reached down, to scrub the sticky (and in some cases dried) red stuff from the organics off my armour. Hands, feet and legs all had some on. I rubbed and splashed until it was all gone. Maybe it seemed a trivial matter, but it was no trivial matter to me.

I remained there for some time, making sure it was all gone, and searching my memory processors for any record of a cave or overhang. Eventually, I chose one. It would not do as a permanent base, but for a few hours, while I dealt with other issues, it would do.

**RIAN**

Our leader, Optimus Prime turned up not too long at all after Sunblazer's abrupt departure. Jazz must have related the entire story, for I was told soon after his arrival that Leader Prime wanted to speak to me.

Live everyone else there, I had seen him, heard him speak, but had never spoken to him face-to-face, and I was nervous. I had heard many stories of Leader Prime's deeds, and so went to meet him with my circuits tingling with nervousness.

He asked me about my sibling, and then said "In your opinion, is her regret genuine?"

"Yes, Leader Prime." I said. "But remember, she is my sibling. Perhaps I know her best, but it is possible that I am influenced by bias."

"I asked Ratchet the same question earlier." Leader Prime told me. "He too has met her, and I value his opinion. He is often an excellent judge of character." He, too feels that she is genuine, but we cannot be too careful." He told me.

"I need two volunteers to go after her, to watch her and observe her actions and behaviour. If she is a spy, acting under orders from the Decepticons, she will at some point attempt to contact them. If she is not, her actions will show this." He said.

"Sir, I'd like to volunteer to be one of the two." I said. Leader Prime nodded once.

"I had hoped you would, as you know her. Your companion has already volunteered and I'm sure that the pair of you will work well together, as I know that your knowledge and his skills will be very useful. I would like you and Bumblebee to leave as soon as you are ready. We do not want to lose her. Please also get Ratchet to check that your weapons and armour are in optimum condition."

"Sir?" I said. "Are we expected to fight?"

"I would hope that you will not need to, but it is best to be prepared." Leader Prime said. "I want you to tail her without being seen, to observe her behaviour and ascertain if her regret and defection are genuine. If it is genuine, you may indeed be required to fight, because when the Decepticons find out she's left, they'll want to have her Spark for it."


	6. Chapter 6: On the Run, On Her Tail

CHAPTER SIX

ON THE RUN/ ON HER TAIL

**SUNBLAZER**

I found the cave easily enough, and looked around for a few large rocks. Lugging them up to the entrance of the cave, I pulled them over into the entrance. It wouldn't pass close examination, but would serve to hide me from casual notice. Finding a flat rock, I sat down. First things first, time to get rid of that hateful Decepticon symbol. After it had been acid-etched into my right chest plate, it had taken time for me to barely notice it. During battle, or while travelling from A to B, I had hardly noticed it, but every time I looked down, or every time I touched my chest plate, I had been forcibly reminded of its presence. Before today, it had merely been an annoyance, but now, I wanted rid of it. I was constantly aware of it, as if it were white-hot and melting my armour. I activated my small but powerful fine laser cutter. Hooking the fingers of my left hand under my right chest plate, where the symbol was, lifting it up, I carefully brought the cutter to bear. At first, I flinched, and almost stopped, but I gritted my jaw and brought the cutter against the edge of the plate again. It took lots of stopping and starting, and it was extremely painful, but after some time I had finished, and the corner of my right chest plate, where the Decepticon symbol was, lay separated from me in one hand. I threw it from me, and it bounced off a wall. My chest plate ached, and I would be vulnerable to attack. It would be weak until it had fully self-repaired where I had excised it, but that didn't matter: I finally felt clean. The armour would self-repair and would grow back unmarked. I fell back, waiting for the pain to fade some, and then got back to my feet, knowing I would need to exercise extreme caution. If I were to escape the wrath of my former comrades, I would have to stay out of their way, staying one step ahead of them, or one step behind. I would give what aid I could to the indigenous natives, but I'd have to be very quick about it, or do it when no Decepticons were around. Even when natives were being hurt, I would have to harden my Spark-armour, and hold back until the main danger was past: I was no Autobot, with colleagues to watch my back. However, I did know of one place where help was needed now, and I thought I could make a difference with little or no risk. Getting up, and ignoring the ache from my still-repairing chest plate, I strode off towards the native settlement that the battle earlier had taken place in.

**RIAN**

Bumblebee and I met up as arranged, and managed to catch up to my sibling as she approached a cave. We hid behind some boulders and watched as my sibling put a few boulders in the cave mouth and retreated inside. I sharpened my auditory sensors, as did Bumblebee, who also ran a transmission scan. We wondered if we had misjudged Sunblazer, if she had fooled us all and was contacting the Decepticons even now, to report that she had made contact. However, I heard no voices, and Bumblebee's scan did not register a telltale spike on any transmission channels at all, let alone on a Decepticon frequency. What I did hear, however, was the whine of a laser cutter, and Bumblebee's scan registered an energy spike that confirmed that this was the instrument being used. This wasn't a constant sound, more like a stop-and-start-and stop-and-start cycle, and at times I heard sounds suggesting my sibling was in pain. Then the laser cutter was turned off, and didn't turn on again. All I could hear was a small metallic 'ping', and then the odd scuffing noise as my sib moved her feet or paced in the cave. I was concerned, worried that she was trying to self-terminate, but Bumblebee held me back, communicating to me that he had his scan on full, and at any sign of my sibling experiencing system failure, or anything leading up to it, that we would intervene. "She's within normal readings at the moment, I don't want to act unless that changes." he sent in a databurst. Our wait finally ended when Sunblazer exited the cave and headed back in the direction of the earlier battle. I had to admit that she looked healthy enough, although she walked with a slight hunch.

We waited a short time, to be sure she would not turn back for something or look over her shoulder, then made our way over to the cave she had exited, and slipped inside. There was nothing remarkable about the cave, there was just the scuffs where my sister had stood, sat, and lain, apart from the stones and the dirt. Plus one other thing, a sliver of metal, lying in the dirt.I stooped and picked it up. It was a corner of chest plate armour, and as Sunblazer and I shared the same chest arrangement, holding it against mine and comparing them confirmed it was a piece of one of her chest plates. The right one, I worked out, where her Decepticon symbol had been. The same symbol I now held in my hand. The location was perilously close to her Spark, so Sunblazer would be in danger if she were attacked before it had grown back and thickened to full strength.I winced. She had excised it herself, and that had to hurt. That alone, to me, was evidence of how genuine her defection was. I could not see Sunblazer having that much devotion to ANY cause that she would cause herself that much harm for. She didn't know that we were watching her, we'd been careful to stay out of sight and keep silent.

Turning, I showed Bumblebee the piece, then showed him against my own chest plates where on Sunblazer it had been excised from."She's going to be horribly vulnerable for several weeks until that grows back." communicated Bumblebee, looking worried. "Let's go find her and keep an optic on her." He stowed the piece in a storage compartment in his leg, and as there was nothing more to see in the cave, we exited, and began to track Sunblazer again.

**SUNBLAZER**

As I approached the native settlements, the little organics busy in the ruins fled. 'With good cause.' I thought grimly, considering what carnage and destruction we had caused last time.I fine-tuned my audio processors, listening for the cries of organics still trapped in the ruins. Locating some, I went over, extruding the tools I used for minor delicate mechanical repairs on myself. Ratchet had pointed out that even the tips of our fingers were too blunt to help excavate organics, that to do so would cause more harm than good. My attempts to help would do more damage than leaving alone. Unless I used these fine tools, the small probe, microchisel, circuit tweezers, and fine laser cutter, to do the fine work my hands were too big to do. I used them to move aside rubble, cut through wooden supports, and carefully lift pieces of buildings. A small dished spatula was used to gently help lever the injured organics into my hand once I'd excavated them. Then I would carry them a few of my steps away and gently set them down.I then returned to my work, gratefully noticing that some brave uninjured organics were coming out to retrieve their wounded companions, and take them to somewhere I presumed was safe, and could get some sort of medical attention.

It was while rescuing from the fourth building that a few of them joined me in moving debris. I like to think that one of them was 'my' organic, the one who had been trapped beneath me, but really, I had no idea. They all looked more or less the same to me. Maybe they were more worried about their fellows than me, and maybe they realised I meant them no harm, but whatever the reason was, I was glad of their help, for with their help, we could get more of the trapped and injured out.

With their help, there were soon no more buildings to excavate, and so I stood and moved on.**RIAN**

"Her intentions are looking more and more genuine all the time." I said to Bumblebee, as we watched Sunblazer carefully rescue another organic from the ruins. "Can't we go and help? I'm sure she's not a spy." Bumblebee put a restraining hand on my arm, and shook his head, and pointedI looked where he pointed. Some organics had gathered up the courage to cautiously approach Sunblazer, and join her in her work."So-if we go in now, we might just scare them all off again?" Bumblebee nodded vigorously. "They've only just got the courage up to work with Sunblazer." I worked out, speaking out loud. "If we go over, they might think that we're attacking them again. Not only might it slow the rescue up, but it might cause them to panic, which would cause more injury." Bumblebee nodded again.

I saw the sense in what Bumblebee had realised, and so we just watched until Sunblazer moved off again. We followed at a distance, taking care not to let the natives see us.

"Contact Base later." Bumblebee datastreamed to me. "I share your view that Sunblazer has proved that her defection and regret are genuine. We should report back, even if it's just to let them know we haven't run into trouble."

I did so, and Leader Prime said that he and Ratchet would come to join us in approaching her. "She knows and trusts you and Ratchet, Rianbot, so maybe between you, you can persuade her to allow me to speak with her. She is, like you, still very young, and if she believes in our side of the fight, she could become a valued member of the team like everyone else in our forces, including you and Bumblebee." My circuits tingled with pleasure at the praise, and judging by the look on Bumblebee's face, he felt the same.

We moved on, still watching Sunblazer.


	7. Chapter 7:Hide and Seek

Chapter Seven

Hide And Seek

**SUNBLAZER**

It was getting late, for this world's sun was beginning to set, and shadows were creeping longer and longer along the ground. I had still not located a place I thought suitable as a permanent base, for the terrain I was currently travelling through was not particularly conducive to finding a cave. Changing course, I headed for the mountains. A few upwards leaps later, and a good amount of pure chance, I had found what I wanted.

The cave mouth was not visible from the air, and not easily seen from a lower level. Whether it was suitable or not as a permanent base would have to be decided the next day, for by now there was very little light left in the sky, so much of the cave interior was dark. Of course, I could function in the dark and turn on some lights, but on a pre-industrial world such as this, artificial lights-or the energy signature of such, if anything was scanning nearby-would bring the Decepticons down on me. Until I was sure the cave was sufficiently shaped and sized to hide any light I shone, and the walls thick enough to mask energy signatures, I could not take that risk.

Anyway, I needed to conserve my energy reserves. Six hours of inactivity would leave that much more energy for the next day. On bright days, I could deploy my photovoltaic cells to keep my energy levels up, but they were mainly for minimal or emergency use only, so I had no idea how long they would keep going for, even with the assist of self-repair. I had no spare parts, although if I found some good deposits of resources on my travels, I might be able to barter spare parts from the Autobots for the co-ordinates before they left this world for good. What I would do after that, I did not know, but then what options did I have?

I shut down all nonessential systems, activated a long-range perimeter scan, and waited for the sun to rise.

**RIAN**

"We've lost her!" Bumblebee communicated to me in a frustrated databurst. "Where has she gone?"

We stared about the flat plain ahead in bafflement. Sunblazer had, to all intents and purposes, vanished. Soon, we would have to finish our search for the day, for the sun was going down, and any artificial light would tell both Sunblazer-and any Decepticons nearby-that we were in the area. We would rather that neither party became aware that we were here. If we were attacked, any back-up was a long way away. Neither I nor Bumblebee were particularly well-armed or armoured, so we wanted to aviod conflict if at all possible.

Looking carefully at the ground, it was I who found faint footprints leading to the mountains, but the moment earth turned to rock, the trail went cold.

We pondered what to do next, and it was Bumblebee's idea to head for the highest point. Hopefully, if Sunblazer left in the morning, from our vantage point we would see her.

I took the first watch. It was uneventful.

**SUNBLAZER**

Once it was light enough to see around me, I investigated the cave. It was large, with other smaller caves off it, and a quick scan told me that the rock walls were thick enough to prevent my energy signatures being scanned. This would do amply as a permanent base, but I needed to reconnoitre the area, to check for dangers-or anything helpful to me.

Climbing down from the mountains, I struck out in a clear area near a forest. The Decepticons must have realised by now that I was not coming back, and I wanted somewhere to hide if any of them flew over my location while I was out of my cave.

It wasn't too long before I came across a large river, small enough that I could clear it with a chance to run up and jump, but big enough that smaller beings would have to build a bridge or use a boat. By the river, a group of the indigenous inhabitants of the world had a large tree, bereft of branches, and were dragging it towards the river. It looked to me as if they were trying to place it over the river as a bridge, having roughly smoothed down two sides-one at the top, to walk on, the other on the opposite side, to lay it down on-of the trunk. I watched until one of them glanced up, spotted me standing by the forest, and raised the alarm. With cries of fear, they fled, leaving their work unfinished.

Having been the reason for this interruption, I felt I should help out. The biggest problem for them would be placing the log across the river-they would need a team on the other side to take ropes and pull it over the river's span without dropping it in. The log was long and bulky, but not unmanageable. Picking it up, I waded into the river far enough that I could place the log over the river. Then I climbed back out, and retreated to a distance, hoping the natives would be brave enough to come out and investigate my handiwork.

All thoughts of that fled my processors as my auditory receivers registered a sound that was nothing to do with the natural inhabitants of this world-engines.

They were still distant, and I could see nothing yet either in the sky or on the ground, but that meant only one of two things-Autobots, or Decepticons. I didn't intend hanging around to find out which it was.

I ran for the forest, dived into it, and hid, as three airborne craft flew overhead. Once they were out of sight, I got up, and began to head away. If they had been Decepticons, they might have been scanning for resources, and would certainly have registered my presence on the scan. I didn't want to still be in the vicinity if they had discovered that I was there.

**RIAN**

We had to accept that either Sunblazer had holed up for the day, or that we had lost her again. We decided to do a search, even though it meant we risked being seen by her, and to cover more ground, we split up. I stayed up in the mountains, to investigate caves and hollows, and keep watch from a height, while Bumblebee moved down to the plains, to scan and try and find tracks.

To minimise the risk of drawing unwanted Decepticon attention, we agreed to only contact each other, via databurst, if we found her or if we ran into trouble. We would meet at a prearranged place on the ground by sundown unless one of us found her first.

Mindful of how more vulnerable splitting up would make us, especially so far from base, and thus backup, we had contacted base first to update and get any advice. Jazz was unhappy about us splitting up, and said he would have sent Ironhide as backup, except that Ironhide was already out on a mission.

Leader Prime granted permission for us to split up, on condition that himself and Ratchet would come and join us. They were large 'bots, meaning they could cover a lot of ground fairly quickly in robot form, overground travel was less conspicuous than sending a flying type, and they were also big enough to be able to mount a robust defence if they were attacked en route.

They anticipated getting to our area before sundown, and planned to join the search when they got to us.

We had not run into any trouble, so felt fairly confident that nothing untoward would happen to us before Ratchet and Leader Prime joined us. We continued our search, with no results, until Bumblebee sent out a databurst that was for us all, flagged with an "urgent" tag.

"Optimus, Ratchet, Rian, I picked up a Decepticon signal on my scan. I was able to work out which direction it came from, and the signal strength means they're fairly close to where I am. I think Sunblazer is close by, and although I haven't found her yet, I think _**they**_ have!"


	8. Chapter 8: Hell Hath No Fury

CHAPTER EIGHT

HELL HATH NO FURY...

**SUNBLAZER**

I soon forgot about the airborne vehicles, for they did not seem to have returned, so after being on alert for a while, I decided that by some amazing chance I had escaped detection. Either that, or they were Autobots, who wouldn't be bothered about me. Feeling more relaxed, I went back into reconnisance mode.

The area I was in at the time was a large flat plain, which seemed too poor for farming or grazing, so there was no native settlements. Engaging a scan, I found that the rock beneath the thin covering of dirt was rich in dense metals and energy-rich raw fuel materials. Here was a very large bargaining chip. If I could do a detailed scan, and present the results to the Autobots, promising co-ordinates in return for supplies, I might be able to get by for a while.

Maybe I could survive until another space-faring race came by, and hitch a lift far enough to go into protoform once we'd escaped the planet's gravitational pull, or maybe I could befriend a native settlement, give them some technical tips, and wait till they developed spaceflight, and hitch a lift with them. After all, what was a couple of thousand years to me? If I asked for the right supplies-and taught the natives to make the components I needed, over a suitable span of time, of course, I could probably survive that long with relative ease.

Once I had completed my scan, and feeling very pleased with myself, I turned back. It was getting late, the sun would soon be setting. It was time to get back to my cave.

Then I heard, once again far off but getting closer, the sound of engines. It sounded like more than three this time, and I realised that on this flat plain, there was no way I could escape notice. Speeding up, I ran towards the distant mountains, even though I knew I was not going to make it on time.

Now I could see them, five motes in the sky, and I was certain they had seen me. Of course, if I were lucky, they would turn out to be Autobots, but they were not coming from the direction of the Autobot base. The Autobots had far fewer flying types than the Decepticons did, so I could not rely on them being friendlies. I brought my arm lasers on-line. I would not be totally defenceless when they got to me, whosever side they were on.

It didn't take long for me to find out, for they began firing at me even before they got within range. They were Decepticons, as I has suspected. I didn't bother firing back. I'd save my energy until they _were_ within range.

I recognised three of them by their colour schemes as they got closer, although I didn't know them by name. The fliers tended to set themselves apart from non-fliers, unless the non-fliers were, of course, superiors, or someone who could do something for them.

As they came within range, one fired at me, I stepped aside as a laser blast slammed into the ground beside me. I was considered nimble and fast in robot form, and this was one of my greatest strengths, and the cornerstone of my fighting style, which was dodge-and-blast-them-back.

Two of them stayed in the air, circling overhead and firing at me, as the other three landed and took robot form.

_'Five? To deal with me?' _Ithought.That had to be overkill, surely? An unfortunate choice of word, I realised as I dodged one of the airborne's lasers. Decepticons were skilled at the art of overkill. They obviously wanted to be very sure that my 'treachery' would cost me my Spark.

One of the three on the ground fired and clipped me on one shoulder. I staggered, but my armour did not breach, although I didn't expect this to be the case for very long. One of the penalties I paid for my swiftness was comparatively light armour. The one who had shot me called "You will pay for your defection, traitor."

The three on the ground were standing around me fairly closely, limiting how much I could move and dodge. The one who had shot my shoulder fired at me again, but this time, I was able to dodge. it was the one behind me who didn't miss, his shot throwing me face-forward, which actually stopped the third one's shot from hitting me.

Both of the airbornes fired, in such a way that by avoiding one, I could not avoid being hit by the other. Rolling back onto my feet, I shot at the nearest and then dodged. Instinct and experience told me to go for the Decepticon at my back, common sense said to concentrate on one opponent and keep hitting till he was down, but survival told me to stop firing and concentrate on dodging. I chose to dodge and fire at anything that was an enemy and moved, my usual battle technique. I danced about, shooting whenever any of them came into my sights.

Maybe this would have worked if I had had more room, or fewer opponents, or if they had not arranged themselves in such a way that one of those on the ground was always out of my sight, behind me. Maybe it would have been easier if the two circling above me, taking shots whenever I was distracted by those on the ground, had not stayed airborne. However, no matter how much damage I did, I was still taking damage myself, despite the fact I was moving about.

_'They've seen me fight, they know my tactics'_ I realised. Had the circumstances been different, maybe I could have made myself less predictable by changing tactics, but my moving and dodging was the only thing stopping me receiving more hits than I already was.

I refused to give up, but as there were so many of them all attacking me, this was one battle I knew I could not win.

_'Maybe I can at least try to take one or two of them with me.' _I thought.

**RIAN**

I was close enough to Bumblebee to quickly join him. Ratchet and Optimus sent a message saying they were on their way, but told us to go ahead, find Sunblazer, inform them of the co-ordinates of her location, and then, if possible, help defend her.

"We'll get there as soon as we can." I responded, while Bumblebee nodded enthusiastically.

We headed off at a run, going in the general direction that Bumblebee had scanned the signal as coming from, which was a vague heading at best, although very soon, we found something else to guide us-the sound of laser fire!

Bumblebee and I hurried on, worried we would be too late. Then we saw the two vehicles in the sky, and not long after that, we came upon the ground battle.

It was a singularly unfair fight. Two airborne Decepticons in vehicle form and three on the ground in robot form had cornered Sunblazer, and she was employing the same dodge-and-shoot technique that had served her so well in her fights against us. However, this was an entirely different situation, and at least two of the five would hit her one way or the other. She could not keep up the punishing routine forever, especially not seeing as she was taking damage every round. She only had two optics, and no-one to guard her back.

_'Not for much longer!'_ I thought. I powered up my arm lasers, as Sunblazer took a shot to the hip from one of the circling airbornes. She fell, and tried to rise again, but seemed unable to get up or even move the leg. Without being able to dodge, she wouldn't stand much of a chance.

"Bumblebee, send the co-ordinates to Leader Prime and Ratchet, would you? I think she needs all the help she can get."

Without waiting for his response, I threw myself into the fray, lasers firing.

**SUNBLAZER**

A shot from behind threw me forward, and it was only a supreme effort that stopped me ending up face-down in the mud. Instead I ended up on one knee, with my hands helping me keep my balance.

"Are you going to beg for mercy?" the one in front of me taunted. "You should have thought about that before defecting!

My response was to raise an arm and fire at him as I scrambled back to my feet. However, he had achieved his aim, which was to distract me. Two bolts from the other two in robot form threw me forwards, and this time, I _did_ end up face-down in the dirt. Then one of the circling fliers fired, and I felt the searing bolt drilling into my left hip joint, and then my left leg lost feeling and function.

Without being able to dodge shots, I would not last very long. I raised an arm, determined to dish out some punishment. I might be about to be terminated, but I was determined to fight until the last fragment of my Spark flickered out of existence.

I heard a laser bolt firing twice, but did not feel any hits. Instead, it was one of my attackers who flinched, looking in surprise at two burn marks that had suddenly been inflicted on his chest plates. He looked, not at me, but behind and to one side of me.

I blinked as two red feet descended, one either side and slightly forward of my head. I felt a shadow fall over me. Somebody was standing between me and one of my opponents.

"Let's even the odds a bit, shall we?" came a well-known voice. "Leave my sibling alone!"

**RIAN**

I don't know who was more surprised-Sunblazer or her attackers.

"Autobots!" one of them cried in alarm and anger, transferring its attentions and attacks to me. I was able to keep two of them at bay, one arm laser firing at each, but the one at my back started attacking me too-until Sunblazer managed to flip herself onto her back, lever herself into a sitting position, and began blasting it. From her position, she could cover more than a hundred and eighty degrees around her.

It was the two fliers circling above and taking pot shots at us both that became the biggest menace, but I could not worry about them while holding the two in front of me at bay, trying to keep them in my sights as they danced and dodged and I followed, firing the whole time.

More laser fire sounded, and Bumblebee was there, a little further out, taking aim at the fliers, with both arm lasers. "Need a hand there?" he databursted at both Sunblazer and I. Sunblazer didn't take her optics off her opponent, or let up in her firing one bit, but gave Bumblebee an acknowledging nod.

_'That makes this fight a bit fairer.'_ I thought. I fired quickly at both my own opponents, hitting one and missing the other, who managed a quick dodge. They both fired at me, and both shots hit. Standing guard over Sunblazer left me at a disadvantage.

Sunblazer, for her part, was giving her opponent a blasting. No matter where he moved, her blaster followed him. It was clear that Sunblazer felt she had a score to settle with that one. It seemed the appearance of Bumblebee and I had given her the spirit to keep on fighting, especially as now there was a chance we might win.

Her opponent stumbled backwards suddenly, as his armour abruptly sprouted a hole and began to vent black smoke. Quickly, he backed out of range.

Sunblazer had not escaped unscathed from her encounter with that Decepticon. Her armour had cracks and striations, her left leg was apparently nonfunctional, and judging by the expression on her features, she was in pain. As I took another hit, I pulled my attention back to the two I was confronting

Bumblebee was also having trouble with the fliers: they were now both circling above him in opposite directions: he could only shoot at one of them some of the time. Both were concentrating on him rather than us, and he was suffering for it.

Sunblazer beneath me began firing at one of them, which took some of the pressure off Bumblebee, but next time my two opponents attacked, I was forced to move. Although my armour was a little stronger than Sunblazer's, because I was not as manoeuvrable, it was still fairly light, for I was no Ironhide, built to withstand hits. It meant leaving Sunblazer, in her vulnerable state, alone, but I would not be a help to anyone if I was also disabled by the shots. I stayed close to her, firing at them to keep their optics on me.

As I dodged and blasted, I began to wonder if we would all leave this battle with our Sparks in one piece.


	9. Chapter 9: Like Decepticons scorned

CHAPTER NINE

...LIKE DECEPTICONS SCORNED

**SUNBLAZER**

My sibling had arrived to help me. I could not believe it, How had she got here so fast? What was she doing here in the first place? I didn't waste time asking her these questions, or greeting her, because we were still seriously outnumbered. I hoped that the Decepticons would not destroy us both.

The three around me all transferred their fire to Rian, the biggest threat. Rian was not as manoeuvrable as I, but she didn't even try to dodge as two of the shots hit her. I realised she was protecting me. Well I may not be able to duck and dodge, but I could still blast! I used my body weight to throw myself onto my back, despite my nonfunctional left leg, and began blasting the one now in front of me, who was going for Rian's vulnerable back.

Then I realised another Autobot, whose name I did not know, was approaching. "Need a hand there?" came over in a databurst. I was confused, why did he not just speak? That was irrelevant, though, for he proceeded to start dishing out laser blasts from both arms at the two circling fliers.

This took some of the pressure off both Rian and I, as his actions kept them busy, and off our backs. Rian was still two-against-one, but I was one-on-one, although at a disadvantage, being unable to move due to my leg. However, this did not affect my ability to fire, or my aim, so I concentrated on giving my adversary as much punishment as possible. "Attack them before they can attack you" took on a new meaning, as the more I blasted my opponent, the less time and energy he could devote to focusing and aiming at me.

This didn't mean that I took no damage at all, only that I didn't take as much as I might have otherwise. My earlier ordeal was showing-my armour had cracks and weak spots, and I could only hope that my auto-repair would mend it fast enough.

At that point, one of my blasts blew a not-so-neat hole in my adversary's armour, which billowed smoke, but he withdrew swiftly before I could follow up with a disabling blow.

This was a good thing, because the small Autobot whose name I did not know was being outmanoeuvred by the two fliers. He had helped me, so it was my turn to help him. Turning one of my lasers skywards, I began firing at one of the airbornes.

Rian was finally forced to move, after being hit twice, but she was never more than a few steps away from me. Having an idea, I lay back, made sure I could see both the airbornes and the ones attacking Rian, and brought both my arm lasers on line. Pointing one at one of the fliers, and one at one of the ground-based Decepticons, I opened fire with both lasers at once.

They immediately began firing at me, taking the pressure off my sister and her small friend, but putting it back on me. I was forced to stop firing and roll on the ground to try and dodge the shots. Once again, I received a nasty blast to my back, and the next shot to connect took out my right arm laser, and the forward part of the arm stopped functioning at all.

I lay on my back, firing again at one of the airbornes, who were a major menace to us all. Then more laser fire split the air and my heart sank. Had one of the Decepticons called in new reinforcements?

I saw two new figures join the fight, bigger figures who began blasting the Decepticons. Ratchet I recognised from our previous encounters, but the other I knew only by reputation and description.

The Autobot leader, Optimus Prime.

**RIAN**

Sunblazer suddenly lay back, and started taking pot shots at not only one of the airbornes, but also at one of the two on the ground that I was fighting.

They promptly both fired back at her, giving Bumblebee and I a breathing space, but putting herself back in peril. I had to ignore this, continuing to attack either one or other of the ground-bounds, as I poached Sunblazer's move-and-blast tactic, keeping my own assailant from shooting back.

Sunblazer rolled, but both shots found their mark. One of Sunblazer's arm lasers suddenly stopped firing and her right forearm flopped brokenly. It was clear that she would be unable to use it again without some long and complicated repair work being carried out first. Ignoring the arm, she lay on her back and continued firing at one of the airbornes.

Then one of the airbornes was hit by new laser fire at the same time that one of my own assailants turned to face a new adversary, and then began backing away.

Turning my head, I saw Ratchet standing by Bumblebee, joining the smaller Autobot in hassling the fliers, and then Leader Prime himself stepped up beside me, following the backing-off Decepticon, and continuing to blast him.

"Decepticons, retreat! We're outgunned!" one of them cried. The three Decepticons on the ground transformed back into vehicle form, and wasted no time in lifting their tails off the ground and heading out of weapons range.

"Are we glad to see you!" I said to Leader Prime, my gratitude and relief making me temporarily forget my awe of him. "I think you may have just saved our Sparks!" As the Decepticons reached high altitude and began to veer off, we took our attention off them and began to relax.

That was a mistake that at least one of them was counting on.

I cannot be certain, but I think it was the one Sunblazer had badly injured that suddenly went into a steep dive, strafing as it came. The rest of us scattered, instinct driving us, but Sunblazer, disabled as she was, couldn't get out of the way in time.

She was hit several times on her front, taking out her other leg, blasting holes all up it, holing her chest and abdominal plating, including her still-healing right chest plate. Another two shots hit her already damaged arm. The laser fire knocked her head sharply to one side, cracked an optic and dented the top of her head before the Decepticon flew past.

"Death to all traitors!" cried her assailant as Sunblazer writhed, cried out, and then was still.

Ratchet was heading for Sunblazer while the rest of us were staring after the quickly-fleeing Decepticons. Stepping over her, he quickly began his work. I walked over.

"Sunblazer…" I said. She looked in a very bad way. Her chest plates were pitted and dented. A blackened hole showed where the Decepticon's laser blast had struck the weakened area and entered. Her right forearm was almost separated from her upper arm. One leg was twisted the wrong way, the other almost separated from the rest of her by a smoking crater halfway up her thigh. One optic was shattered, and her head canted on her neck at an odd angle. I knew it could all be repaired, all be replaced….if Sunblazer still lived.

Ratchet carefully pulled open her chest plates to access her chest cavity, and smoke billowed out, dark and worryingly dense. Her Spark _was_ still alight, but only dimly, and flickered in a worrying fashion. Extruding several types of welder, cutter, and other tools whose function I could only guess at, he reached into her chest cavity, muttering "What a mess!" I looked on in despair. How could anybody survive that?

Bumblebee put a comforting hand on my shoulder, and Leader Prime said "I have every confidence in Ratchet. He will give body and Spark to try and save her."

"She looks so bad," I said. "Is she saveable?"

"I have seen warriors fall in battle and thought them gone, only for Ratchet to dive in and bring them back." Leader Prime said. "Of course, for every one that he does, there is sometimes one he cannot save. Only time will tell, we must let him do his best."

"We should have known they'd pull a stunt like that!" I cried. "She survived the initial onslaught, only to be brought down by a sneak attack like that! It's not _fair_!"

"I've stabilised her-what there is left to stabilise, that is." Ratchet said, as he closed Sunblazer's chest cavity. "I've only just managed to stabilise her, but she could still terminate if she's not treated soon, and I cannot do the work I need to here in the field. We need to get her back to the base: that will have the equipment and supplies I need." I turned to look at Ratchet with hopeful eyes as Ratchet said "Optimus, we need to transport her as quickly as possible. Now there is no more need for secrecy, send one of those large fliers who are doing little more than cooling their thrusters back at the base."

Within a few moments, Leader Prime had called for a large flying Autobot to come and pick up Sunblazer. There was only room for two people to sit with her: Ratchet, as the medic, insisted on being one of them, while he said that as Sunblazer's sibling, I should take the other. Leader Prime and Bumblebee transformed into their vehicle forms and began to make their way back to base.

As the ground fell away as we were flown up, I turned my attention back to my shattered sibling's prone form.

She was away from the vengeful Decepticons, but her Spark had not been saved yet.

SUNBLAZER

Optimus Prime barely spared me a glance, and for that I was grateful. Facing that noble countenance in the face of my shame would have been very difficult.

He kept his optics focused on the Decepticon he repeatedly fired at, who suddenly didn't look so smug or confident any more. It was this one who cried out "Decepticons, retreat! We're outgunned!" It was also the first to convert back to vehicle form and shoot into the air with a disregard for his energy consumption. The other two on the ground were swift to follow his lead.

"Are we glad to see you!" my sibling addressed Optimus Prime. "I think you may have just saved our Sparks!" They all began to relax, just as I spotted one of them suddenly drop its nose and dive, heading our way, lasers blazing.

Everyone else wisely scattered, but I. with a useless leg and forearm, didn't even get much of a chance to roll out of the way. I was hit dead on, laser blasts tearing up my good leg, doing more damage to my useless arm, and peppering my chest plates with what felt like liquid fire.

The area I had removed had begun to grow back, but was not yet fully formed or thickened, and it took almost a direct hit. I felt the worst pain I had ever experienced, and as laser fire shattered one of my optics, battered my head, and left me more dead than alive, the last thing I heard was my attacker yelling "Death to all traitors!" Then the pain-and the world- disappeared as I lost function of not just my surviving optic, but the rest of my body too.


	10. Chapter 10: Discussions and Questions

CHAPTER TEN

DISCUSSIONS AND QUESTIONS

**RIAN**

The flight back wasn't really that long, but it felt like it was, as I sat by my sibling's side, aware that if her Spark faltered, there would be very little Ratchet could do to save it. However, I had once again underestimated the strength of Sunblazer's Spark, even weakened as it was. It did not falter or flicker out, and when our flying friend landed, Ratchet took my sibling straight into his laboratory-cum-workshop.

I knew it would be a long process, knew that the substantial damage inflicted on my sibling would require a lot of work. I was also aware that Ratchet had not given me any guarantee that he could save Sunblazer, or that she would be undamaged, in either her processors or her body, if he managed it. His examination and work in the field had gone as far as was needed to stabilise her and work out if there was a chance her Spark would survive. The physical and processor testing had to wait until she was more than just 'stable.'

None of this knowledge made the waiting any easier.

I volunteered for anything I could turn my hands, optics, or laser tools to while waiting, to give my processors something else to concentrate on. It was a huge relief to me, at the end of one of the tasks I had set myself, to see Ratchet waiting for me. Excusing myself, I hurried over, too frightened to ask the question I had to know the answer to.

**SUNBLAZER**

It was my hearing that returned first, for I could hear talking, and sounds of industry and of living. At first, I could not recognise the speech, but after a while, I started recognising single words in the stream of gibberish, then more and more, and eventually I could understand everything.

At first, I could remember nothing, not even who I was, but like with understanding the language, memories first trickled back, then flooded back. I gasped soundlessly as I recalled the Decepticon attack on me.

It was a great surprise, albeit a pleasant one, to find I was still alive. I was sore all over-except for my legs, which seemed to have no feeling at all-but I _was_ alive. From the tingling in my chest, I could feel that some self-repair deep inside was going on, but I could also feel that several holes had been welded shut. Ratchet, I figured out. It had to be Ratchet, I recalled him being there, coming in to help the smaller Autobot hold off those flying above. Some of my circuitry felt so different that it had to have been replaced-something I was sure only a few Autobots, Ratchet included, was capable of doing.

I opened my optics, and they both functioned perfectly. Ratchet had obviously replaced the shattered one. I found myself looking at an unfamiliar ceiling, for I was lying on my back. As I watched, Ratchet stepped into my line of vision, holding an assortment of wiring, circuitry, and tools. He noticed me looking, put down all the parts, and came up to stand by my head.

"Good to see you are awake. Tell me your name." he said.

"Sunblazer." I told him, confused. He knew my name, why was he asking?

"Now, do you remember _my_ name?" he asked.

"You're Ratchet, the Autobot's top medic." I told him. He smiled a little.

"Flattery will get you absolutely nowhere with me, but yes, you are correct." he said. "Do you remember your sibling's name?"

"Her name is Rian." I said, finally working out what he was doing. "To my knowledge, my memory processes are fine. I recall everything about that attack, including which one of those flying Decepticons launched a sneak attack to shoot me up. I owe him one when I'm strong enough, right up the afterburners!"

"That can wait!" Ratchet snapped at me. "Don't go getting yourself shot up again, remember, it's _me_ who has the job of putting you back together afterwards-and this time I almost didn't succeed!"

"Um-I didn't mean right away, and I didn't mean I was going to go after him." I said. "But if I run into him again, I'll recognise him and when I do, I'll take no foolish risks, but I _will_ be saving a special, strong laser blast just for him."

"Well, I'm not done repairing you fully yet, so that will still have to wait. I'm about to deal with your arm and start working on those legs of yours. It's probably best if you're not awake for that, at best it can be uncomfortable and at worst, painful." Ratchet told me.

With that, he used two carefully-applied micro-laser bursts somewhere by the back of my head to drop me back into oblivion.

**RIAN**

"Rianbot, your sibling is far from fully repaired, but she is out of danger. She will live." Ratchet told me. I sagged in relief. Ratchet continued.

"I can find no detectable sign of processor degradation. She remembers everything and my, doesn't she have a vindictive streak in her? She did awaken, which is how I know she remembers everything, but I have knocked her back out, to give her self-repair systems the energy to do their job. It also means that I can do the repairs I have to, with the minimum of pain and discomfort to her."

"So- she's going to be all right?" I asked. "Can I see her?"

"I first replaced essential circuitry in her head and body cavity, thankfully your sibling's Spark seems to be exceptionally strong. I replaced her broken optic, and have been working on repairing her forearm and legs, which are where the worst of the damage left to repair is. I need to recharge for an hour or so, so yes, I would like you to go in and keep an optic on her. If she awakens, talk to her but don't let her try to get up, or any other similarly foolish things. Tell her that she is under our protection, and that as long as that is the case, we will look after her, no matter what faction she does or does not support."

"I will." I promised.

"Good." he said, and walked off in the direction of the recharging chambers.

I let myself into Ratchet's medical area, and walked over to stand by Sunblazer. Critically, I ran an optic over Ratchet's excellent work.

Sunblazer, I could see, would always bear slight scars, even with self-repair, but Ratchet had welded as carefully as he could on her torso to minimise this scarring. Her legs, although looking far, far better than they had on the battlefield, still bore much damage. One was still twisted in an odd way, while the other had gleaming new welds all up its length.

Looking back up at Sunblazer's face, I saw two glowing optics watching me, one blue, and one red.

Sunblazer was awake.

**SUNBLAZER**

Feeling slowly returned, although my legs were still insensate and immobile. I could now, however, feel my right forearm, and move my right hand. Ratchet had fixed it, as he had promised. In addition, he had obviously replaced the optic the Decepticons had destroyed, for I could still see properly out of both of them.

Movement caught those optics, and it was then that I noticed my sibling, Rian, was stood by the side of my bed. Her attention was on the rest of me, specifically at that time, on my legs. I would have said something to let her know I was awake, but I didn't know what to say. From Rian's body language, I could tell that she was tense.

Before I could make a decision, or work out what to say, Rian's optics came back up to my face. To my shock, she flinched.

'_Do I really look that bad?' _I wondered. Was I severely scarred, or damaged in some way beyond repair? Had the shot to my head torn my face apart? Something of my shock must have shown in my face, for Rian recovered herself, reaching out a hand towards me.

"Sunblazer, you are going to have to do something about those optics." she said. "One red and one blue is very creepy, and some will wonder whose side you're on." I nodded, feeling very awkward. That was the nearest Rian had come to even mentioning my original factional choice, something I was still ashamed of. I pointed to the optic Ratchet had obviously replaced.

"Maybe Ratchet has the other one of these. Perhaps he could install it once all my other repairs are done." I said.

"I think he had better. Your optics are very disconcerting." Rian told me. "How are you feeling, Sunblazer?" she asked.

"Sore." I told her, which was the truth. If I see those particular Decepticons again, I owe them a beating!" Rian nodded, apparently in agreement.

"You'll be okay in Ratchet's more than capable hands. But don't you go off to chase Decepticons on your own! We Autobots work as a team." I blinked my optics twice at Rian. Had she forgotten?

"But I'm not an Autobot." I reminded her.

**RIAN**

I didn't quite know how to answer that. I guess I had just, once again, assumed that Sunblazer would join me, had imagined us fighting next to each other, watching each other's backs, working smoothly in concert with each other as a team. Sunblazer either noticed my silence or had decided to elaborate on her statement already, for she continued talking.

"I'm neutral, as I said a few days ago. I am very grateful that you Autobots even look after those who are not your own.

"_You Autobots"_ she had said. That stung. Why would she not throw in her lot with us? Were her loyalties still torn? I felt like grabbing her and shaking her to make her see sense, but that could be seen as a form of coercion, and one thing we Autobots stood for was freedom. Freedom to live, freedom to do your own thing.

Freedom of choice.

Perhaps I just needed to know how she saw the situation to understand it.

"So why do you want to be neutral? What is the basis of your choice?" I asked, for I was getting angry. I had only just found her, and if she were determined to set out on some suicidal revenge mission, I would lose her again. Why? As my anger built, the question I had been wondering about came out.

"You were as frustrated as I was about our parental units non-alliance and pacifism, maybe more so than I, I understand that but why, Sunblazer? Why did you join the Decepticons?"

Sunblazer went very quiet, looking anywhere but at me.


	11. Chapter 11: Answers and Offers

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ANSWERS AND OFFERS

**SUNBLAZER**

Rian's angrily-delivered question took me totally by surprise. I had to have a little bit of time to collect my thoughts-and control my shame-before I could answer her.

"At that time, I made my decision based on the facts as I knew them, and what seemed the likely future." I began to explain. "Neutrality didn't protect anyone, our parental units deaths proved that. The way I saw it, the Autobots trying to protect the Sparks of others equalled putting your own Spark at risk. I thought the Decepticons would wipe out the Autobots, and as the last surviving member of our family-for I thought you were dead-I wanted to live. I hadn't looked into the beliefs and aims of either group, I must admit. While our parental units still lived, I didn't see the conflict as having much bearing on us, except that our parental units' response curtailed my freedom." I gave a short, harsh little laugh. "By the time I realised that my assumption was in error, and that the Decepticons did a lot of undesirable things, I was scared to leave, scared of what would happen if I were caught. I had found out by then what they did to those they saw as traitors." I did not elaborate, for I did not feel ready to explain what they had done to Freewheeler, a friend I had once had who had tried to leave and got caught.

"As it was, it took the deaths and realisation of the fragility of organics to make me leave. But that's enough about me, what about you, Rian?" I asked.

"What made you join the Autobots?"

**RIAN**

I hadn't expected a question back in response, but Sunblazer had answered my question honestly, or so it seemed, so it was only fair that I answer hers in the same way.

"Maybe some of our parents idealism did rub off on me." I said. "Some of their idealism, but none of their pacifism. I did look a bit into the plans and beliefs of both groups, even while our parental units lived. I believed there were some things worth risking your Spark for, especially when you could fight beside those of a like mind. Maybe, as well, I thought that if I hadn't been able to fight to save my own parental unit's Sparks, maybe I could fight to save someone else's parental units, someone else's sibling, someone else's child, and save someone else feeling the pain of loss that I felt. I too felt alone, Sunblazer, I thought you were dead too. I went home when we got separated and waited for you. When after a week you didn't show, I left our family home for good, sought out the Autobots, and joined them." I shrugged.

"I'm not sure if fighting for others in the early days did much good overall." I said. Cybertron is dead now, but I still believe in fighting to help others, rather than just sitting back and doing nothing, when I know I can at least _try_ to make a difference."

Sunblazer nodded. "I was so very wrong when I assumed that the Autobots would get themselves wiped out. After all, they had to watch those they protected AND themselves. Why do you think that you lot survived?"

"We looked out-and still do look out-for each other as well. We work as a team, and watch each other's backs. The quick or skilled rush in to protect those who need it, the rest of us keep any trouble-Decepticon or otherwise-off our backs. We may put ourselves in harm's way to help others, but we work in concert to look after ourselves AND those we try to help-just like we all worked together when you were attacked. Between us, we drove off those Decepticons, didn't we? Sunblazer, as bad as that fight was, there was one thing it did show me, and that is that we make a very good team."

"Well, I'll try and be careful from now on." Sunblazer said. "I don't want to stretch your resources too thin. I know you can't watch my back all the time, so I'll try to watch my own back as much as I can when I go."

My Spark flickered with concern and annoyance. "You're going?" I asked. Sunblazer nodded.

"Don't worry, I'm not going back to the Decepticons, if that's what that concerned look on your face is about. The further I can get away from them, the better!" she said. "I have a cave I can turn into a base or hidey hole, and I'll make as much difference as I can without putting my own Spark in danger." She must have seen something in my face, as I opened my mouth to ask her to stay, for she raised a hand, silencing the unspoken words.

"I can't stay here, Rian, I'm not an Autobot, and as you can't trust me not to be a plant or a spy, I cannot _become_ an Autobot, either." She looked down.

I recalled the conversation Leader Prime had had with Bumblebee and I when we had been tracking Sunblazer down. "She is, like you, still very young, and if she believes in our side of the fight, she could become a valued member of the team." he had said. If that hadn't been at least the suggestion of an invitation, if not an invite straight out, what was?

"Sunblazer, we make a brilliant fighting team. I don't see why you can't become an Autobot." I said. "If you're a spy or a plant, then they took a great chance in trying to fool us into taking you in. Ratchet said that it was very close. I saw that battle, and participated in it. They weren't fooling about, those injuries could have killed you! Anyway, if you were a spy, would you raise that possibility for us to think about? I don't think so! Come on, Sunblazer, at least think about it!"

Sunblazer turned towards me, with disbelief-and was that hope I saw in her optics?-reflected on her features. She opened her mouth as I saw her features cloud with doubt, but her words went unspoken as another voice carried from the doorway.

"She's right, you know. If that was a trick to get us to take you in, they took a very great risk. Had I not been on my way-and they could not have anticipated mine and Prime's arrival-you would not have survived. Anyway, we've bugged this room to monitor your communications. Ironhide has been running the conversation through a lie detector, and it says you are telling the truth." He gave a little chuckle at Sunblazer's surprised expression.

"We do not take foolish risks, we know the Decepticons are not called that for nothing. However, nothing you have said or done is making us think that you are trying to fool us. Not even that deep-processor scan we did while you were offline. Nothing coded or in cipher form, nothing that we could not have looked at had we wanted to-not that we did." he said hurriedly, as Sunblazer looked alarmed. "More memory chips than normal, and an extra processor, but that's even a reasonably common update amongst Autobots, albeit usually older ones."

"Sunblazer, nothing I have found or heard or seen points to you being anything more than what you appear to be; a youngster, whose decided they've made a mistake and is appalled by it, who wants to make up for it somehow, is fearful of rejection but wants to be with her sibling." said Ratchet, who had obviously finished recharging. Ratchet walked over from the doorway, putting a hand on Sunblazer's shoulder.

"As Rian said, it's worth thinking about, isn't it?" he asked.


	12. Chapter 12: The Third Choice

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE THIRD CHOICE

**SUNBLAZER**

When Rian told me that she saw no reason that I could not be an Autobot, gave me her reasons, and asked me to consider it, I dared for a moment to hope, to believe that it could be true. But then I thought that it was too good to be true, too much to hope for, somehow I had messed up so bad that the Autobot route was closed to me. I opened my mouth to say so, but then another voice from the door spoke up.

It was the medical Autobot, Ratchet.

How long he had been standing there, listening to the conversation between Rian and I, I could not say. Judging by the way Rian jumped when he spoke, she had been as oblivious to his presence as I had been.

As he reassured me that he believed I was who and what I said I was, and why, he wandered over to drop a comforting hand on my shoulder. It was not a patronising or dismissive touch, rather that of almost an equal, or a comrade in arms.

"Sunblazer, I am here in a more official capacity than your sibling, but I am here to make the same offer that she is making. If it is what you want, we would be happy for you to join us Autobots. I have seen and heard your new outlook on other forms of life, how you now understand how fragile some of them can be, and how precious they all are. Although we do end up fighting, Sunblazer, and people and other forms of life do still die, we do try to protect those innocents who unwittingly get caught up in our war." he explained.

Dropping the hand from my shoulder, he turned to look at me full on.

"If your choice is to decline, then we will respect your choice, for, as your sibling said, we believe that all sentient beings have the right to freedom, and that includes freedom of choice. Perhaps you tire of war, or are wary of siding with anyone after your bad experience with the Decepticons. However, we will still render you what assistance we can." He began pacing.

"You don't have to make an immediate decision, in fact we would rather that you gave it some thought. You said you joined the Decepticons without a full knowledge of their goals and beliefs, we wouldn't want you joining us out of gratitude, without having a chance to check first that it is the right choice for _you_. However, giving it thought will have to wait a while, as I still have many repairs to do, mostly on your legs. When you wake up, ask any questions of me that you wish."

He turned to my sibling.

"Rianbot, would you find something else that you can do? I need to continue mending your sibling, and I'm afraid that your presence would not aid this. I am sure one of the others would appreciate your aid in some project or other. If not, take the opportunity to recharge." Rian nodded her assent, and left.

"Rian…_bot_?" I queried. "When did her name change?" Ratchet smiled.

"Not long after she joined us. As she was so young, some of the older 'bots began using it as a term of affection. She didn't seem to mind and it stuck. Pretty much everyone calls her it now and again, and she doesn't seem to mind." He turned to look at my legs. "Now, I need to knock you out again, but the plan is, that when you revive, your legs will be functional again. Maybe then your sibling and I can give you the grand tour." He got out his microlaser again, bringing it towards the back of my neck, but I raised a hand to stop him.

"Wait!" I said. Turning off the microlaser, he looked at me quizzically. I pointed to my remaining red optic.

"My odd optics unsettle my sibling. Could you exchange this one for one to match the one you've given me?"

"I can, but is that what you want? Are you happy to have two blue optics? Is it what _you_ want?" he asked.

"More than you can imagine." I said, relaxing. "They were blue before I joined the Decepticons. I want my old optic colour back."

"Then I am happy to do so." he said. He switched back on his microlaser, and when I gave no move or sound of dissent, he moved it again to the back of my neck, using two small blasts to send me back offline.

**RIAN**

It was back to the waiting, despite finding tasks to do and errands to run. In it's own way, this was more tense than when waiting to hear if Ratchet had saved her. For Sunblazer had been given the option to join the Autobots, but there was no guarantee that she would accept. If she stuck to her original plan, to strike out as a neutral, she would immediately be back in danger. To me, with vengeful Decepticons out there knowing that she still lived, it was suicidal. Had I found my sibling, only to lose her again, twice? First when she left the base, and later when the Decepticons killed her? For if she did as she said she was going to, there would be a time when we would get there too late, and we would find Sunblazer's shell, with her Spark gone forever. If she came with us, it was almost certain she would meet some of those same Decepticons again, but at least then she would have backup from us, her friends and family.

I was called to assist with some minor repair work, which took my mind off Sunblazer for a while.

**SUNBLAZER**

Once again I awoke, but this time I knew where I was. From my prone position, I could not see anyone, although my sensors told me that there was somebody nearby. It had to be either Rian or Ratchet, and it was too large a 'bot to be Rian.

"Ratchet?" I called. The big 'bot walked over, and it _was_ Ratchet.

"How are you?" he asked. "Any pain? Any loss of sensation? Is everything functioning? As far as I can tell, I have repaired all the damage to your legs. They won't look pretty for a while, but they should function. I say they should, but we won't know until you try them out. Fancy a little walk?"

Carefully pushing myself to a sitting position-my repaired arm worked as well as it ever had-I swung my weld-marked, and still slightly dented, legs off the table. Putting them on the floor-and I had full feeling in both feet- I carefully put my whole weight on them.

They held.

Next, it was time to test moving around on them that needed addressing. Still very wary of falling, I held onto the table/bed I had been resting on as I took a few steps. Then Ratchet offered his arm as support to hang on to, if I would circle the room we were in.

One circuit of the room became four, as I grew more confident in the belief that my legs would still function. We found some minor glitches that ratchet repaired, but soon after I had the confidence to walk at a fairly normal pace unsupported. So I headed out to give Rian the good news, with Ratchet following right behind me.

**RIAN**

"Rian!"

The call jerked me to full awareness, for after aiding with some repairs, I had then put myself into recharge levels. The sound of my sibling's voice jerked me back to full awareness.

"Sunblazer!" I cried, getting to my feet. I watched as she walked towards me on legs that, a few hours ago, had looked like so much scrap metal.

"That's twice I owe Ratchet now." she said, her optics-now both a brilliant blue colour-settling on me.

"Well, Sunblazer, will you be all right if I leave you with your sibling now?" Ratchet asked. "I have work piling up, and I bet somebody will soon come in, having bashed themselves up good after taking a silly risk." His voice was harsh, but his lips had a tiny curl upwards at each corner. "I'm sure the pair of you have a lot to catch up on, so I'll leave you to it. Rian can give you the tour." His optics focused beyond us. "In fact, unless I'm mistaken, here comes somebody else who I'm sure can help." He gestured as we turned to see Bumblebee walking down the corridor towards us. Ratchet turned to leave.

"Wait, please!" said Sunblazer. Ratchet turned back quizzically at her call.

"I never thanked you for coming to help defend me from those Decepticons." she said. "Thank you very much."

"You are very welcome." he told her. "The best way you can thank me is to try and avoid getting shot up, or smashed up, or dented for as long as possible. I have enough work as it is." His name was called, and he scowled as he saw Prowl enter, carrying a severely limping Jazz. Ratchet growled.

"You again, Jazz? Which femme 'bot were you trying to impress this time, and what fool stunt went wrong, leaving your ego and your armour severely dented?" Jazz opened his mouth to speak, but Ratchet waved him quiet. "Just get him into the medical office." he told Prowl, and went to support Jazz's other side. They left, Ratchet's mutterings being audible after he had gone out of sight.

Sunblazer turned to face Bumblebee. "I owe you a big thank you too." she said, and gave the smaller 'bot a hug.

If Bumblebee could have coloured up like an organic, he would have done. "Hey, you're welcome," he managed to databurst. "Nice optics! I think that colour of optic suits you better."

"Thanks. It's good to know they suit me because they're staying that way." Sunblazer said.

"Come on." I said, as Bumblebee rested a friendly hand on Sunblazer's arm. "Let me and Bumblebee show you around."

**SUNBLAZER**

I took Ratchet's suggestion on board, thinking hard before making any decision on my allegiance. I made a total nuisance of myself, asking dozens of questions of as many 'bots. I thought long and hard about the pros and cons of the options that lay open to me.

At no time did I feel pressured into making a decision, and despite taking so long to make a choice, no-one pressured me to leave the Autobot base. Many 'bots laid themselves open to questions, and many to friendship (and some offered more, which I embarrassedly declined) although I got one or two hostile responses and some were still suspicious of me. However, most were accepting.

I am not a creature who leaves something that needs to be done undone, so in the end, I made my decision. A new red symbol, painted on with chip-proof paint, now decorates the chest plate that once bore a Decepticon logo

I became an Autobot.


End file.
